Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SHOPPING
Taal Public Market
Calle Ananias Diokno
T
043 408
1504.
The market in the centre of Taal is a good place to eat
and to look for local embroidery (
burdang Taal
), including
cotton sheets, pillowcases, tablemats and
barong tagalog
and
saya
, the national costumes. They're all made by hand
in the town's small workshops and are much cheaper here
than in Manila, as long as you're prepared to do some
haggling. The area is also well known for the manufacture
of
balisong
, traditional knives which have a hidden blade
that flicks out from the handle (P150-1000), and local food
specialities; try Gerry & Lheen Special Tapa & Longganisa
(stall 154;
T
0916 790 5898), for Filipino-style pork and
sausage products.
Daily 6.30am-7pm.
2
Mount Maculot
P10, paid at the Registration Point • Guides can be organized at the trailhead (give at least P500) • From Manila, take a Lemery-bound bus
from Taft-Buendia or Cubao LRT stations (2hr 30min; around P150) and get off in Cuenca, from where it's a 2km walk or tricycle ride (P20
per person) to the trailhead
Close to the town of
Cuenca
, on the southeastern side of Lake Taal, some 50km east
of Taal itself,
Mount Maculot
(930m) affords mind-bending views across the lake,
surrounding jungle and puffy clouds to the horizon from its summit, yet is relatively
undeveloped and (weekends excepted) tourist free. If you set out from Manila very
early - as most local climbers do - you can climb its lush slopes and be in Taal (or
back in the capital) for dinner. One reason for Maculot's popularity is an area of
sheer rock near the summit known as the
Rockies
(starting at 706m), which rises
vertically up from the jungle and has a platform at the top affording unbroken views
across Lake Taal. There's a steep but walkable path around the Rockies that takes you
to the platform.
The 2km walk or tricycle ride from Cuenca to the trailhead goes via the
Barangay No. 7
Outpost
, a small hut marked by a barrier across the road. Stop off along the way at the
Registration Point near the Cuenca barangay administration hall, where you are
supposed to register and pay. Though you can organize guides at the trailhead, they're
not necessary - the trail is easy to follow (well marked by white arrows and signs), with
steps and handrails most of the way. From the trailhead (behind the little sari-sari store
known as the “mountaineer's store”) it takes about two hours to reach the summit,
depending on your fitness level, via the
Grotto of the Blessed Virgin Mary
, a small shrine.
Nasugbu and around
Some of the finest white-sand beaches near Manila lie along the Batangas coastline
around
NASUGBU
, 37km west of Tagaytay. The coast here is pitted with resorts, mostly
clearly signposted from the main road and grouped in three areas: to the north of
Nasugbu on the chalky sands stretching to Fuego Point; around Nasugbu itself on
Nasugbu Beach, which has darker sand and is more crowded; and about 12km south of
Nasugbu by road along the similarly darker sands of
Matabungkay Beach
, often marred
by the
balsas
(rafts rented by resorts) that line the shore. Other than the beach, the only
real sight is the
Nasugbu Landing Memorial
, a steel landing craft and statues of soldiers
coming ashore, which commemorates the second landing of American forces in the
Philippines in 1945, at the end of World War II.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
NASUGBU AND MATABUNGKAY BEACH
By bus
From Manila, there are frequent Batman Star Express
(BSC) buses to Nasugbu from the EDSA (MRT-Taft) terminal.
There are jeepneys every few minutes between Nasugbu and
Matabungkay (20min; P25).
ACCOMMODATION
Coral Beach Club
Matabungkay Beach
T
0917 901
4635,
W
coralbeach.ph.
A quiet, attractive hotel with
restaurant (which is a bit overpriced), bar, pool tables,
beachside pool and a/c rooms, all with cable TV and hot
showe
rs. Free
wi-fi and private transfers to Manila P4000-
5000.
P2300
